Nike Pegasus 35 Performance Review

The Good

Thomas: The Pegasus 35 is remarkable simply because it is an entirely new shoe that still has the characteristics of the Pegasus lineage. Nike received a lot of feedback from athletes on this model including one of the Pegasus’ biggest fans Mo Farah. Awhile back I watched a video featuring Mo Farah; He had a custom pair of Pegasus that had a lower heel counter. Nike has applied Mo’s preference in heel counters to the Pegasus 35. Typically, heel counters will use padding to come up the back of the ankle to create a locked-down feel. The Peg 35’s padding grips along the lower side of the ankle and then bends away from the Achilles. At first, this feels a little odd, but once you get running you don’t notice it, the heel stays comfortably in the shoe, and there is no rubbing. Nike also moved the bottom eyelets up, it doesn’t sound like much, but it totally changes the way the upper fits and flexes. With the eyelets moved the toebox opens up and accommodates more foot shapes, it also creates more flex in the toe. The mesh upper looks different but isn’t that much of a change from the traditional Peg. The interior of the Peg 35 features soft mesh with a stitched in tongue. I don’t go sockless, but in this shoe, it would be very comfortable.

The Midsole isn’t revolutionary; it sticks with a combo of Zoom Air and Cushlon foam. While not as exciting as the new Nike React foam or the ZoomX material, the Cushlon with the Zoom Air works. The full-length Zoom Unit shaped like the carbon plate in the VaporFly 4% gives the Pegasus 35 a lively ride and gives the Peg 35 its stride personality. While running, you get a soft landing with the Cushlon and a little pop and firmness from the Zoom Air. It is a very nice sensation. The outsole looks familiar with full coverage of durable rubber.

I weighed my size 10.5 in at 10 oz. (283 grams) on the dot. This shoe feels even lighter on foot. Nike sticks with a 10mm drop giving the Peg 35 a little forward lean. This shoe glides through your stride. The fit is true to size and has a fair amount of arch support.

Meaghan: I’ve always liked the Nike Pegasus models, but I love the Pegasus 35. The style and design of the shoe’s upper has changed a lot. Most notably: the tongue is now attached to the sides, the bottom eyelet was removed which makes the shoes feel wider and the collar is directed away from the Achilles, so there’s less rubbing around the heel. The mesh upper is really comfortable. It’s got stretch and support in all the right places. The Flywire cables tighten with the laces, so you get an excellent, secure fit.

The midsole contains the same materials as its predecessor: a mix of Nike Zoom Air and Cushlon foam. The ladies version is softer than the men’s. It’s comfortable. There’s plenty of rubber on the outsole for traction, yet Nike still kept the Pegasus fairly light. My W7.5 came in at 7.85 oz. Not bad for a durable daily trainer.

The Bad

Thomas: My only knock on the Nike Pegasus 35 is the long high tongue. It doesn’t affect the fit or cause any irritation; it seems its only purpose is style. One other observation is about the Cushlon foam; it seems to be affected by temperature. When running in temps above 88º F, the Cushlon gets noticeably softer underfoot. Maybe too soft.

Meaghan: I know the beveled heel is the “look” right now, but does anyone else think these are little elf-like? Also, Nike made a ladies version for this model, which features a slightly softer foam cushioning (great) but apparently women have narrower heels and higher arches when compared to men. I have wide, flat feet so not sure these are to my advantage. No issues with the fit, though.

The Nike Pegasus 35 Conclusion

Thomas: This is a superior daily trainer. There is only one shoe we have reviewed this year that I like better. If you follow my reviews then you know my top shoe this year to date is the Nike Epic React. The Epic React doesn’t work for every runner though, while the Pegasus 35 will work for the majority of runners. With the laces moved back, the Peg 35 has more room in the toe box without feeling sloppy. Both narrow feet and wide feet will work in the Peg now. The ride of the Pegasus 35 is super smooth, and it is light enough to do double duty as a daily trainer and a tempo shoe. I highly recommend the Pegasus 35 it can be summed up as a mix between the Pegasus 33/34 and the Nike Elite 9. The price is very reasonable at $120.

All the testing and research the Nike team has done in the past couple of years is paying off in tremendous running shoes. Nike is the most exciting brand out there right now and is leading in innovation. The Pegasus 35 is a phenomenal illustration of the point. The fit of the upper is a new sensation with a silhouette that looks familiar but hides smart updates to the heel counter and the lacing that changes the feel for the better. Both of these updates came from working with their elite athletes and tweaking the design. Nike is just getting started, just wait until the Pegasus ZoomX, and more models using React foam come out later this year.

Have a question or think we left anything out? Leave a comment, and we will address it.

Meaghan: The Nike Pegasus 35 has become my go-to for every day, easy runs. They’ve actually replaced my HOKA Napali (a rare occurrence). From the upper to the midsole, it’s just a really comfortable shoe. The mesh hugs the foot but isn’t constricting. The cushioning is super soft, yet responsive. I haven’t worn these for runs over 10 miles, but I would feel comfortable lacing these up for a 20 miler. I think this shoe will work for just about anyone.

Thomas is the founder of Big Run Media, Believe In The Run, and the Faster Bastards. His mission is to get everyone running. Life is better when you run and running is always better when you have the right gear.

26 Comments

Meaghan,
Interesting you say it could replace the Napali which has been my dream Hoka and my goto for long and recovery runs. It has the perfect amount of cushion and firm. You really feel like the 35 is more fun to run than the Napali? BTW, my other trainer is the Brooks Ravenna 9.

Also, I’m a heavier runner at 210 and wondering if this shoe would be ok.

Hi Demian, I wouldn’t say the Peg 35 is “more fun” than the Napali, but it’s equivalent. The Peg has that soft cushioning and general comfort like the Napali. There’s plenty of rubber on the outsole for durability; I don’t think weight would be an issue. If you do try them out, let me know what you think!

[…] • “This is a superior daily trainer. There is only one shoe we have reviewed this year that I like better. If you follow my reviews then you know my top shoe this year to date is the Nike Epic React. The Epic React doesn’t work for every runner though, while the Pegasus 35 will work for the majority of runners.” — Thomas Neuberger, Believe in the Run […]

It isn’t a “stability” shoe, and without seeing how severe your overpronation is, I can’t really say if the Peg 35 will work for you. The Pegasus 35 is a good choice for marathon training. Maybe try it for a couple runs and see if it works for you.

I got the Pegasus 35 and have LOVED running in them. But less than 200 miles in, the outsole is shredded. I also had the same experience as the reviews that the shoe ran very soft in heat. All in all, it might be the best shoe I’ve run in out of the box, but I probably won’t buy them again. I didn’t even get a month out of them. (Disclosure, I’m on the heavier side and I’m hard on shoes as I supinate quite a bit.)

Thank you for the review. I’m very used to 4mm drop and just recently went up to 6mm, and I’m pretty comfortable between these drops so far. However, I’m very much interested to try out peg 35, since I’ve noticed that in the long run that my Achilles and calves are protesting this considering going up to 10mm. I’m a bit worried that the change may have big impact on my form and running in general. I’m reading and re-reading your reviews on kinvara 9 and peg 35.. and fitted both shoes many times, but still can’t make. Decision. 🙂 Maybe I’m someone who is afraid of change. Hope you can give me some inputs.

The difference between 10mm drop and 4mm drop is about the thickness of 2 nickels stacked. During reviews, we switch up shoes with various drops. As long as the shoe doesn’t get in the way of your stride with a high stack or stretch out your Achilles too much in a low stack, you should be fine. Order from someplace that gives you 30 days to try the shoe. Keep it if it works for you.

Hello, thank you for this great review… I have a question, I have been using the Pegasus 34 size 10.5 for some months and it is one of the best running shoes I’ve ever used… I heard some comments about Pegasus 35 that for the same size it is a little bit smaller than Pegasus 34… Should I buy bigger size? Is this true? Or can I buy the same size 10.5 with no problems? In my current Pegasus 34 size 10.5 I have like 1/2 inch of free space between the tip and the toe, and on the sides feels very comfortable too, with some spare room… Also I use custom insoles for pronation and flat feet and I need them to fit well also on the Pegasus 35…

Great review again! Thank you!
If you would have to choose a shoe for marathon (I hope to finish sub 4 hour); I’m a 6’2″ 195lbs runner. Would you choose the Epic React, Peg 35 or Peg Turbo for the Marathon.
Last year I did my marathon in the Asics Dynaflyte 2, but they don’t seem to work for me anymore, don’t know. Just have a strange feeling recently…